


Try (Tri) Again

by Politzania



Category: Marvel, Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Consentacles, Eventual Smut, Flogging, Hand Jobs, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Mild Painplay, Tony Stark is not Iron Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-10-31 12:46:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17849708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Politzania/pseuds/Politzania
Summary: Gentle!Dom Tony's hard limits prevented him from giving sub!Eddie the painplay he craves;  Eddie's new acquaintance becomes the key to everyone getting what they need.Square:A5 - Kink: BDSM (Chapter 1) and  T1 - Tension (Chapter 2)Rating:  ExplicitWarnings: mostly PWP -- bondage and painplay.Pairing:  Tony Stark/Eddie Brock/VenomSummary:  Gentle!Dom Tony's hard limits prevented him from giving sub!Eddie the painplay he craves;  Eddie's new acquaintance becomes the key to everyone getting what they need.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tisfan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/gifts).



> NOTE: Chapter One is the backstory/setup; the smut doesn't kick in until Chapter 2.
> 
> Inspired by Tisfan's [ Could Get Used to It](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17658020) \- which introduced me to this lovely OT3.

Eddie had changed since the last time Tony had seen him. Which only made sense; after all, it had been nearly two years since his play partner had left New York for San Francisco. They hadn’t talked much since, mostly texts and the occasional phone call. However when Tony discovered he’d be out in the Bay Area for the better part of a week, he reached out to Eddie and they made plans to meet for a drink. 

Sitting in the bar, Tony found himself staring at Eddie, trying to put his finger on what exactly was different about his companion. It wasn’t his haircut, or clothing -- Eddie’s sense of style was still practically nonexistent -- but there was something about the way he carried himself. Eddie had always put on a good show on screen, cocky to the point of near-obnoxiousness, but now seemed more comfortable in his skin, more self-assured than before. It was a good look on him, Tony had to admit. 

“So, Mr. Reporter,” Tony drawled once they’d gone through the standard social niceties, “what dirt do you have on the whole Carlton Drake Life Foundation fiasco? You know, the human experimentation allegations, the creepy dead alien parasite things.” 

Tony could swear that Eddie’s skin rippled somehow, and his eyes flashed black, then white before returning to the clear hazel Tony knew so well. “No,” Eddie muttered under his breath, “he doesn’t mean it. He doesn’t know.” 

“Come again?” 

“Sorry, Tony,” Eddie apologized, shaking his head as if to clear it, “I, um . . . I got a lot goin’ on right now. That whole Drake thing, it kinda got under my skin.” 

“But you’re doing okay now, right? I mean, I was sorry to hear about you and Anne, but you’ve got your show back now, and it’s getting great reviews. It’s like you’re a new man.” 

“Thanks,” Eddie’s reply came with a half-rueful grin. “As for Anne, well, we’re trying to make the friends thing work.” 

“That’s good, to hear.” Tony had been surprised to get that phone call from Eddie late last year. Even if it were a semi-drunk-dial, Eddie had meant enough to Tony to let his friend pour out his heart, bemoaning the stupid mistake he’d made that cost him his fiancee. Tony knew all about how easy it was to put your career ahead of your personal relationships. That’s why his and Eddie’s arrangement had worked, at least for a while. They liked each other, and certainly enjoyed each other’s company, but love wasn’t really involved. 

And it wasn’t even really about the sex, either. Not that it wasn’t good, because it was, but it also wasn’t the point of their scenes. It was about trust and release, letting go of everything else and focusing on the moment. In that respect, they’d been good together. But Eddie had needed more -- the bite of a whip, the sting of a paddle, cruel pinches and rope burns -- and Tony couldn’t do that. He could truss someone up in an elaborate web, blindfold and gag them, edge them til they cried for mercy, but he had to draw the line at actually causing someone pain. The few times he and Eddie tried, he had to safeword out, and what kind of Dom did that make him? 

Tony hadn’t found another reliable partner since Eddie left and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t considered the idea of hooking up again while he was on the West Coast. In fact, Tony had intended to feel Eddie out on the topic during this little tete-a-tete. But before he could bring the topic up, Eddie said he had something he wanted to show Tony back at his apartment. 

The place was definitely in a sketchy neighborhood, and the apartment building itself was downright grungy. But Eddie’s place was reasonably clean, so Tony made himself comfortable on the couch while Eddie -- now clearly nervous about something -- shifted from foot to foot in front of him. 

“Tony, you gotta promise not to get weirded out, okay? This is really important, and you’d be only, like, the third or fourth person who knows.” 

“Eddie, babe. You should know by now I am not easily weirded out. Whatever you have to show me, go ahead.” Despite his reassuring words, Tony was a little concerned. After the easy confidence his friend had shown at the bar, this bout of nerves was disconcerting. Had he met up with a Dom who had gone too far, left ugly scars or something worse? Had he caught something from a partner who’d lied about their status? 

Eddie took a deep breath, muttering, “Yeah, okay, we can do this, V. We can trust him. Let’s start small -- c’mon out.” He held out one hand, palm up. A black, oily substance started to ooze out of his skin, forming at first a puddle, then a dome, and finally a sphere . . . with a face. A face that had strangely-shaped, milky white eyes and a wide mouth with entirely too many pointed teeth in it. 

“HI,” it said, in a voice that seemed much too deep for its size. 

Teetering on the edge between burning curiosity and creeping terror, Tony responded automatically, “Uh, hi.” 

“Tony, this is Venom. V--” 

“WE ARE VENOM,” the entity interrupted, putting emphasis on the ‘we’. 

“Yes, dear,” Eddie replied, with a fond smile, using his thumb to stroke its head as it nestled in his palm, “we are. But let me finish.” Eddie looked back up at Tony, gauging his friend’s reaction. Tony in turn, was dumbstruck; how had Eddie, of all people, ended up infected with one of the aliens? And what the hell was it doing to him? 

“This part of Venom, well, let’s call him V,” Eddie continued, more calmly than the situation seemed to warrant. “He’s -- we think -- the only survivor of his kind here on Earth. Drake’s space expedition brought a half-dozen of V’s people -- the klyntar -- back with them. They’re symbiotic beings; they can’t survive here on their own. Drake was trying to force them to bond with so-called volunteers and all hell broke loose instead. V’s kind of in hiding now.” 

“ ‘In hiding’, like, inside you?” Tony asked, still trying to wrap his mind around what he was seeing. Symbiosis was a thing in nature, sure, but this took it to a whole other level. 

“YES,” responded the alien. “THERE IS A LOT OF EMPTY SPACE IN A HUMAN WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.” 

“So, we’re talking a merge at a cellular level?” Tony asked; scientific curiosity starting to edge out the heebie-jeebies. “That means our biochemistry is compatible with these entities.” 

“WE HAD TO ADAPT. NOT EVERY HUMAN IS A FIT HOST.” 

“Yeah, which is part of the reason Drake and the others are dead, and there’s all those lawsuits.” Eddie added. “Anyways, V and I clicked, and here we are.” Tony suspected there was a lot more to that process that Eddie was glossing over and couldn't help but follow up. 

“So in addition to bonding physically, how about mentally? Can V read your mind?” 

Eddie made a ‘so-so’ gesture with one hand as he replied, “Well, kinda. More emotions than actual thoughts or memories, I guess. It’s a learning process and we’ve still got a long ways to go. “ 

“I KNOW THE IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT YOU, EDDIE.” 

You certainly do, love.” And there was another pet name, which piqued Tony’s curiosity. Eddie was still very much himself -- this didn’t seem to be some bizarre pod-person situation -- but he didn’t use terms of affection lightly. Tony decided to probe a little further. 

“So, I see what your intergalactic hitchhiker gets out of the relationship, sunshine, but what does it bring to the table?”

“I PROTECT EDDIE,” said entity boasted, “FROM BAD GUYS.” 

“And how do you do that?” Tony’s question wasn’t entirely facetious; perhaps the tiny symbiote could spit acid or poison, or had some other deadly defense hidden away. 

In response, it sank back into Eddie’s skin, and a moment later, erupted from underneath his clothes, enveloping him in a mass of black goo. It re-formed into a giant humanoid figure that towered over Tony and whose sharp teeth -- now every bit of three inches long -- were matched by terrifying claws on massive hands. “LIKE THIS,” came the rumbled reply, “AND IF THEY ARE REALLY BAD, EDDIE LETS ME BITE THEIR HEADS OFF.”

Tony was frozen in both fear and awe, unable to speak or even breathe for a moment. He hoped fervently the second comment was simply Eddie’s sick sense of humor rubbing off, but that horrifying maw was certainly capable of human decapitation. The symbiote's substance peeled back to reveal Eddie's face, wearing a frown. “That’s enough, V!” he scolded. “Stop trying to scare Tony. I told you he’d be on our side, like Anne and Dan are. Knock it off already.” 

The figure shrank back down as V retreated inside Eddie. He rolled his shoulders and smoothed his t-shirt down before saying, “Aw, quit pouting, V. You can come back out if you promise to behave.” As the symbiote’s head popped out next to his, he patted it fondly on the cheek. “That’s better, dearest.” Adding a bit of chastisement to his tone, he continued “You know I ought to make you apologize to our friend.” 

“No apology needed,” Tony waved a hand in protest as his heart rate slowly returned to normal. “I asked a question and your pal answered me.” Tony had plenty of questions as well -- mostly about the symbiote’s capabilities, but he was also really curious about the endearments Eddie was showering upon his new companion. “It’s just a lot to take in.” 

“Tell me about it,” Eddie commented wryly. “But, you understand why V’s a secret, right? The official story is that all the klyntar died in the wreckage of The Life Foundation. Scientists are probably combing the place with a fine tooth comb to find any remnants and god knows what they’ll do with whatever they do find,” he shuddered. “V and me just want to be left alone. We won’t cause any trouble. Well, not much trouble, anyways.”

Tony wasn’t nearly as sanguine about an honest-to-god alien co-habitating with (and in) a friend of his, but he certainly didn’t want either Eddie or V to become guinea pigs, living out the rest of their lives in a lab. Instead, he jumped back a bit in the conversation. “So, Anne knows about you two?” 

Eddie and V exchanged a look. “Yes, you could say that.” Apparently that was a story to be told on another day. 

“And who’s Dan?”

“Anne’s boyfriend. He’s a doctor who helped us figure a couple of things out.” Yes, definitely another story there. 

“CAN WE ASK TONY NOW?” V broke in. 

“Ask me what?” Eddie’s cheeks flushed at V’s question, which in turn got Tony’s attention.

“IF YOU WOULD PLAY WITH US. LIKE YOU AND EDDIE USED TO.” 

“Uh. . . “ Tony had figured he’d reached his limit of being surprised at this point, but nope, apparently not. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?” 

Eddie simply nodded, a mix of hope and desire spreading across his face, while V replied, “I CAN ONLY GIVE EDDIE PART OF WHAT HE CRAVES. HE SAYS YOU CAN DO THE REST, THAT YOU WERE ALWAYS GOOD TO HIM. WILL YOU BE GOOD TO HIM AGAIN, TONY?” 

Tony was taken aback by both the direct sincerity of the question, as well as the interest it sparked in himself. The pet names made sense now; Eddie and V were clearly more than symbiotic partners; they were in a relationship. That said relationship had a sexual element was perhaps less upsetting than it should have been, but Tony had always known himself for a kinky bastard. As for joining them in a scene, the idea sent heat curling down his spine to pool in his belly. 

Apparently taking Tony’s silence in the worst possible way, Eddie started apologizing. “Oh, god, Tony, that wasn’t why I asked you to come here. I swear, I just needed another friend, someone I could trust to share all this with. I know it’s a lot to ask, but please--” 

“Hold on a moment, Edward,” Tony responded, using the same form of address he would when in a scene. “Let me answer the question.” Eddie stilled, looking at him with wide, expectant eyes. 

However, Tony's next words were for Eddie’s companion. Meeting V’s somewhat disconcerting gaze, he said, “Yes, I will help you give Eddie what he needs. I would be honored to play with you both.” He held out his hand, and V extended a tendril, making contact and wrapping around in the equivalent of a handshake.

The tendril reminded Tony a little of a snake -- heavy and dense for its size -- but it was blood-warm, and even more muscular. V could easily have crushed Tony’s hand in the blink of an eye; instead, the symbiote simply squeezed firmly in acceptance before sinking back under Eddie’s skin, leaving the two of them alone (so to speak) for the moment. 

“I’m disappointed, Edward,” Tony continued smoothly, “that you made V ask for my help.” It was a flimsy excuse to set the scene, but it would work. 

“I’m sorry, Sir.” 

“You don’t seem very sorry.” 

Eddie went to his knees, placing his hands behind his back and bowing his head in submission. “I am, Sir. I really and truly am.” 

“That’s better.” Tony stroked a hand reassuringly over Eddie’s head and neck. “Now, get up, go to the bedroom and take off your clothes. I need to decide how best to discipline you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, Eddie and V work through their scene with wonderful results all around.

Eddie rose to his feet and disappeared into the bedroom. Tony hung back, as much to build anticipation as to gather his own thoughts. Had he really just set up a co-op scene with a shapeshifting, symbiotic alien whose existence he hadn’t even been aware of an hour ago? Well, yes, apparently so. This was going to be a hell of a night. 

Doing his best to settle into the proper mindset, Tony checked the kitchen for aftercare supplies. No bottled water, so Tony filled a few glasses instead and set them in the fridge. A bit of digging through the cabinets disclosed a cache of M&Ms, which he poured into a bowl, then Tony peeled and sectioned a couple of oranges, setting them in another bowl. Both of these went in the fridge next to the water, along with a couple of dampened dishcloths.

Tony wished there were some way he could check in with V separately, set some rules and expectations beforehand. There was so much he didn’t know: did V feel Eddie’s pain -- somehow feed off the adrenaline and other chemicals that were released? While Tony still didn’t know exactly what to think about the symbiote, it was obvious that Eddie trusted V implicitly, so he would do his best to follow that example. 

Tony walked into the bedroom, a single bedside lamp lighting the scene. Eddie was laying on his stomach on the neatly-turned down bed, head pillowed on his arms and legs slightly spread. His naked, gorgeous ass was more than a little distracting; but that wasn’t why they were here right now. Tony spoke the phrase to start their playtime: “Edward, are you ready to learn your lesson?” 

“Yes, Sir.” His response was subdued, with a slight tremor of anticipation. 

“V, would you keep Edward from squirming around, please?” In response, thick tendrils shot out, wrapping around Eddie’s wrists and ankles and spread-eagling him before dipping under the corners of the bed. V’s head manifested above one of Eddie’s shoulders, facing toward Tony and watching him closely. Tony wasn’t used to an audience during scenes, much less one who was so protective and so deadly. 

“Edward, where’s the chest?” Eddie had a nice collection of toys and accessories, from what Tony could recall; he hoped what he found in there would give him a feel for what his partner (partners) expected from the scene.

“Bottom of the closet, Sir.” Tony found the footlocker-sized wooden box and unlatched the clasp. The familiar ropes and silks were neatly tied into bundles, but it was the rest of the contents that Tony examined for clues. 

“Does this look familiar, V?” He pulled out a crop and held it up. 

“YES. EDDIE LIKES THAT ONE.” 

Tony took V’s response as a good sign, choosing a favorite toy. He also recalled during their previous scenes, that Eddie had enjoyed the element of surprise. “Very well. You control how hard and how fast, V. I’ll tell you where and when to stop.” Tony assumed V would have a better sense than he of Eddie’s pain levels and what might actually be harmful. 

Tony handed the crop over to V, holding up his other hand with all five fingers outstretched. He twitched each of them in turn to indicate the count, then pointed to the back of Eddie’s right thigh. V nodded in acknowledgement as Tony stepped back to observe. 

He couldn’t help but flinch at the loud crack of the crop making contact, but being a step removed from delivering the punishment allowed Tony to see more clearly the pleasure Eddie was experiencing, and in turn, feel some of that pleasure himself. This partnership -- strange as it was -- just might work after all. 

Once the fifth blow landed, Tony called out to V, “That’s enough on that side.” Watching Eddie lose himself in the mix of pain and pleasure was more arousing than Tony had imagined; his cock was already straining against his jeans, and his pulse was pounding. He ran a hand down Eddie’s other thigh, taking a moment to ground them both. “Here, V. And this time, Edward, count them for us.” 

Eddie’s count got louder and more desperate-sounding with each blow, with “Five!” coming out in a hoarse wail. Tony motioned to V to stop, then squatted down by the head of the bed to check on their playmate. “I’m sorry, sir, so very sorry.” Eddie’s eyes were wet with tears, but his pupils were blown wide with desire and he was rutting slowly against the sheets even as he murmured his apology. 

Tony stroked Eddie’s hair comfortingly. “I know, Edward. Have you learned your lesson?” While V hadn’t actually drawn blood, the angry red welts must hurt like hell, to say the least of making sitting uncomfortable for the next couple of days. 

“No, please, sir! I don’t . . . I can’t. . .” Instead of agreeing and ending the scene, Eddie’s response -- carefully couched to fit within the scene -- clearly indicated that he craved more. Eddie stretched his fingers out toward Tony, a physical plea matching his verbal answer. 

“I see,” Tony replied gravely. “it seems we haven’t quite gotten through to you, have we, my boy?” He frowned, as if displeased with Eddie. “And you’re getting a little noisy as well. We’ll have to do something about that.” 

Tony returned to the chest, and after a moment’s search, retrieved two items, one quite familiar, the other less so. He returned to the head of the bed, making sure this time Eddie could see what he held in his hands. His sharp inhale and whimper was all Tony needed to reassure him that he’d chosen wisely.

“V, would you ensure Edward doesn’t disturb the neighbors any further?” Tony expected the symbiote to simply wrap a tendril across Eddie’s mouth, but instead, V pushed a thick tentacle between Eddie’s lips, stretching them almost obscenely wide in a simulation of fellatio. Tony’s stiff cock twitched in response as he stifled his own groan of pleasure. 

After passing the flogger to V, Tony pressed a large metal ball-bearing into Eddie’s hand. “You remember what to do with this, right, sweetheart?” The endearment slipped out before Tony could stop it; he usually saved pet names for their after-care session. But Eddie didn’t seem to mind, humming an affirmative and nodding. “Good boy.” Tony stroked his cheek gently before rising to his feet and gesturing to Eddie’s well-muscled back. “V, if Edward drops what I just gave him, stop immediately. Until then, well, continue the lesson.” He flashed all ten fingers at V, who grinned widely. 

As the flogger slowly rose and fell, Tony took a few moments to strip naked, knowing that Eddie craved skin to skin contact as part of his aftercare. The sight of their subject writhing and thrashing in his bonds -- clearly riding the wave of endorphins and on his way to climax -- pushed Tony pretty forcefully in that direction as well, but that wasn’t important right now. 

V had interposed an appendage between Eddie’s swollen cock and the bed before he could rub himself too raw; Tony couldn’t quite tell if he were helping Eddie get off or not, but that was between the two of them. 

Tony came back over to the head of the bed, carding his fingers through Eddie’s sweat-damp hair. “You’re doing so well, darling. I’m so proud of you.” His words of praise were originally meant for Eddie, but Tony realized they applied to V, too. The symbiote obviously cared deeply for Eddie, and wanted to make him happy. Tony couldn't help but be a little jealous, to be honest. 

But he needed to stay focused, to get Eddie the rest of the way through the scene. “I know how bad you need it, baby,” Tony crooned as Eddie craned his neck to look up at him as tears streaked down his face. He had never looked so beautiful, and Tony told him so. After the tenth blow fell, Tony whispered, “We’re all done. You can let yourself go now.”

The muffled groan of ecstasy in response was music to Tony’s ears; Eddie’s back curving in a graceful arc as he came. The ball bearing made a dull thud when it hit the floor and V retracted all his tentacles, freeing their subject from his bonds. Eddie gasped and moaned softly as Tony joined him in the bed and gathered him carefully into his arms. 

“There you go, sweetheart,” Tony murmured, kissing Eddie on the forehead, “you did so good for us, didn’t he, V?” 

“YES. EDDIE WAS VERY GOOD.” V rumbled tenderly as he wrapped limbs around them both. “AND SO WERE YOU.” 

“Thank you, V,” Tony stroked one of V’s tendrils. “You did a great job taking care of our boy.” 

“Sure did,” Eddie mumbled dreamily, “ ‘S wonderful. You’re both wonderful.” 

“So are you, sunshine,” Tony replied fondly. “Hey, V, can you keep Eddie company for a few minutes? I need to go get a few things.” He disentangled himself from his companions, then padded to the kitchen. A few moments later, he returned with the glasses of water, bowls balanced on top with the cool cloths tossed over one arm. 

“Eddie, baby? I need you to sit up and drink some water for me.” Eddie whimpered as he tried to obey, his tender skin rubbing painfully against the sheets. 

“LET ME HELP.” V wrapped himself around Eddie, peeking over one shoulder as he gently tugged him into a half-seated position. Tony scooted in close to them both, holding the glass to Eddie’s lips as he sipped slowly. 

“How about a bite or two of orange, sweetheart? Or some chocolate?” 

“I WOULD LIKE SOME CHOCOLATE.”

“Of course, big guy,” He handed V the bowl of M&Ms, “But you gotta share.” They spent the next few minutes quietly snacking as Tony ran the cool damp cloth over Eddie’s face, chest and abs to clean and soothe him. Eddie hummed happily before breaking into a huge yawn. 

“Getting sleepy, hon?” 

“Yeah, kinda. . . ,” Eddie drowsed, eyes drooping closed as he leaned back into V’s embrace. Tony smiled softly, reflecting on one of the best scenes he’d ever participated in. 

“TONY?” V asked as quietly as he probably could, “ARE YOU STILL AROUSED?” 

While the urgency had faded somewhat, Tony couldn’t deny that he was still horny as hell. “Yeah. You and Eddie put on quite a show.” 

V curled a tendril across Tony’s bare thigh. “MAY I HELP?”

“Uh. . .” Eddie opened one eye and smirked a little at Tony’s hesitancy, then ran a hand up Tony’s other thigh, making his cock twitch in response. 

“Go for it, babe,” he said encouragingly. “You’ll love it.” 

“Okay.” As soon as the word left Tony’s lips, the tendril wrapped around his cock and stroked him firmly. The motion wrung a throaty moan out of Tony as he thrust into into the snug coils. Before the dry friction could become uncomfortable, the tendril transmuted into a tight-fitting sleeve that slid up and down Tony’s length, pulsing and rippling, while a slick substance oozed out to ease the way. 

“Toldja,” Eddie purred, lazily running a hand over Tony’s chest to play with a nipple as he sucked marks along his collarbone. “V’s a very quick learner.” 

“He must’ve had quite the teacher,” Tony gasped, as their combined attentions pushed him ever closer to the brink of orgasm. 

“I just passed along some of the tricks I picked up from you, loverboy,” Eddie grinned with a wicked glint in his eye. “You know, If you ask nicely, he’ll slide one of those thick tentacles right up your ass.” 

Eddie knew Tony so well. Although he played the Dom role, Tony wasn’t hung up on it. Topping or bottoming, either was good, as he enjoyed both and did his best to please his partner regardless of position. So the thought of being reamed by V, maybe while Eddie was sucking his cock was all it took to topple Tony over the edge. Eddie smothered Tony’s urgent moans with an fierce kiss, while V wrung every last drop of come out of him. 

“My god, you two are going to be the death of me,” Tony groaned, once he caught his breath. “My brain is mush and my limbs are jelly. V, any chance I can talk you into meat puppetting me through my meetings tomorrow?” 

“I DO NOT THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, TONY,” V answered dubiously, while Eddie laughed softly. 

“He doesn’t mean it, love. You’ll get used to Tony’s sense of humour soon enough.”


End file.
